


Rainbow

by Victorious56



Series: A Fair Game Rainbow [8]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Children, Domestic, Family, M/M, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25727017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: If Qrow had been offered his heart's desire years ago, he doubts he would have thought of wishing for what he has now.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: A Fair Game Rainbow [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849534
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	1. Bedtime

**Author's Note:**

> This is set about 8½ years after the end of the war. Varin is now seven years old, and Challance is three.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical bedtime for Qrow, Clover and their family.

"Please Daddy, read us a story!"

Even though Varin was now seven years old, and in his own eyes, almost a grown-up when compared to his younger brother, he still wanted a story at bedtime.

Clover bent over to kiss his son. "It's my turn to tidy the kitchen, but I'm sure if you ask nicely, Papa will read to you."

"Story! Story!" shouted Challance from the other bed.

"No shouting, Chall. You won't get a story making a noise like that."

Qrow entered the room as Varin finished speaking. "He sounds just like you," he laughed.

Clover grinned. "Well, one of us has to be the responsible parent. And we all know who it isn't."

"Shh, sunbeam. Not in front of the boys." He put a hand on Clover's arm. "There's not too much to sort out downstairs, I'll fob these rascals off with something and—"

"No fobbing!" Varin seemed to have forgotten the _no shouting_ rule. "We want a proper story."

Qrow heaved a melodramatic sigh. "You kids, you're wearing your poor old Papa to a frazzle."

Challance giggled as Qrow dragged himself heroically to the bookshelf. "Now, which story do we want today?"

"Lucky Huntsman! Lucky Huntsman!" they chorused.

"Looks like it's _The Lucky Huntsman_. Again." Clover dropped a kiss on Challance's head. "Enjoy your story, boys, and sleep tight. See you soon, birdy."

He left the room, pulling the door almost shut. As he trod quietly down the stairs, he heard Qrow's voice. "Are you both lying comfortably? Right, then I'll begin."

  


Clover tidied the kitchen and started the dishwasher. He went outside and checked the birds in the aviary; there were only two guests at the moment. He still wasn't certain how Qrow had managed to talk him into building an enclosure for the rescued birds they acquired, but as with many things, he'd done it. And wondered about it afterwards.

It had started with one magpie which had lost its tail feathers and couldn't fly, so was being mobbed by other birds in the field behind the house. Qrow had retrieved it, suffering only minor peck damage in the process. They'd kept it in a kennel borrowed from Tai, and when its feathers were grown out, released it into the woodland nearby.

From then on, any injured birds found locally had made their way to the Ebi-Branwen household. _Or is it the Branwen-Ebi household?_ Either seemed to work, and Clover rather liked the idea that the two of them were somehow interchangeable.

Stepping softly up the stairs, he cocked an ear towards the bedroom.

"... _when you see a rainbow, follow it to its end, and you will find your..._ "

Qrow was maybe halfway through the story. They both knew it almost by heart, as it had been a favourite of Varin's when he was small, and they'd both read it innumerable times. And now Challance, who had recently turned three, was old enough to enjoy it too.

Clover turned and went silently down the stairs. He picked up a few stray toys from the living room floor and placed them in the toy box, first removing the tabby cat curled asleep on the lid. "I'm sorry, Glynda, sit here instead," he said, as the cat mewed at him. Glynda jumped down from her new location and stalked out to the kitchen in disgust.

Clover crouched down, scratching the ears of the tatty-looking black and white dog stretched out in front of the fireplace. Even though there was no fire lit, it was his favourite spot. He looked up at Clover in adoration, his tail beating limply against the rug. "How you doing, James, you poor old thing?" The dog was very old, and Clover suspected he would probably not see another spring. He dreaded the time when they would have to explain to Varin, who had known James almost all his life, that the dog had died.

He could hear Qrow's voice through the ceiling, falling silent as the story came to an end. There was a creak and the sound of footsteps crossing the bedroom, and Qrow came downstairs quietly.

Clover raised his eyebrows towards his husband. "Both asleep?"

"Chall is, Varin nearly. He wanted his cuddly crow."

"He loves that crow. Almost as much as I love mine." Clover drew Qrow into a close hug.

"Get off, you big softy." Qrow's struggles were no more than cursory, and he returned Clover's kiss with several of his own.

"We all love you, Qrow. There's no getting away from it."

"I know. I love me too." Qrow flicked Clover on the nose, a little harder than he intended. Looking contrite, he kissed the red mark tenderly. "Sorry, Cloves. I've damaged you."

"I'll survive. Shall we sit outside? It's still warm."

  


The sun was slowly slipping behind the trees on the far side of the lake. They sat on the swing seat, sipping their drinks and gently rocking back and forth. James lay nearby, paws twitching as his younger self chased rabbits through his dreams. Glynda stalked moths in the longer grass, as the light gradually faded from the sky.

"The boys love that story. I must have read it dozens of times. You too."

"Yeah." Clover smiled. "It was an inspired wedding present. I don't know where Yang and Ruby got the idea from, getting it printed specially as if the story was about us."

Qrow took Clover's hand. "My fairytale prince," he grinned.

"I always thought you were the prince. You'd been put under an evil spell, or something."

"Works either way." Qrow lifted Clover's hand, pressing a kiss against the knuckles. He rested their hands in his lap, dropping his head onto Clover's shoulder.

"I need to check Harbinger one last time before tomorrow. Make sure it's in top condition."

"Not much doubt of it, is there? You check it over every week."

"Can't be too careful. I wouldn't want to show Varin up in front of his class."

"He's so excited now it's finally his turn to talk about what his parent does."

" _Did_." Qrow's voice was firm. "I'm glad we're out of all that now."

"You don't miss it at all?"

"I miss the— exhilaration you got, maybe... Don't miss the risk of death so much."

"Although facing a class of twenty seven-year-olds will be pretty daunting tomorrow. I could have done it, you know."

"C'mon Cloves. Scythe versus fishing rod? There's no comparison. The kids will love Harbinger." Qrow smirked at Clover's small frown.

"Don't be like the dicks in the story, Qrow. Don't laugh at Shamrock's weapon."

Qrow put his glass down, turning to Clover and wrapping the younger man in a hug. "I don't mean it, you idiot. I've always been a great admirer of your weapon."

Clover stood, pulling Qrow to his feet. "I'd noticed." He kissed Qrow gently, one hand moving to thread through the dark hair, now increasingly scattered with grey strands. "D'you feel like an early night?"

Qrow slipped his arms around Clover's waist. "What a good idea. Just let me give Harbinger the once-over."

They went inside. Qrow checked his weapon and Clover locked up, settling James and Glynda down for the night. As they made their way quietly upstairs, a door opened onto the landing, a timid voice saying, "Daddy, I need the toilet."

Qrow smothered a chuckle at Clover's quiet groan. "Okay, Chall, come on then." He glanced over his shoulder at Qrow. "Don't you go starting without me."

Qrow poked Clover's butt as they reached the landing. "No way, sunbeam. You're worth the wait." He ruffled Challance's hair on his way past. "Don't keep Daddy too long now, Chall."

"I won't, Papa," said a small, sleepy voice.

Clover took his son's hand and led him to the bathroom. Qrow smiled after them, rolling his shoulders as he headed for their bedroom.

As he got ready for bed, Qrow reflected on their life together, and how it was a world away from his circumstances ten years ago. _That Qrow was a different bird altogether._ He heard Clover murmuring to Challance in the neighbouring bedroom, heard his steps along the landing. He heard the door of their bedroom click shut, and turned to meet his husband. _We have our heart's desire, and didn't need to go to the end of the rainbow to find it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two is the text of the fairytale which Qrow reads.


	2. The Lucky Huntsman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The huntsman was ridiculed for the weapon he used. But he was lucky, and it brought him something very special indeed.

Once upon a time there was a little boy, whose name was Shamrock. His only wish in life was to grow up to become a Huntsman. All he wanted to do was to help people, by protecting them from the monstrous Grimm which roamed the land.

When Shamrock was old enough, he went to the Academy to learn how to be a Huntsman. He made his own weapon, as all Huntsmen did, and some of the others laughed at him, because his weapon was a fishing rod.

"You can't hunt Grimm with a fishing rod," they jeered. Shamrock ignored what they said, and learned to use his weapon in all kinds of ways, so he could seek out and kill all the Grimm he could find.

Shamrock travelled from place to place, hunting the Grimm wherever he found them, and the people he helped were all very grateful.

  


One day he was walking along a high clifftop path, when he heard a strange sound. In the grass he saw a large black bird. It was squawking in pain as it walked backwards and forwards, one wing dragging on the ground. It walked to the cliff edge and peered over, looking up at Shamrock and squawking again.

Shamrock looked over the edge of the cliff, and saw something shiny caught in a twiggy clump down the cliff face. The bird stood beside him, peering over the edge and cawing softly. It looked at Shamrock, then looked back over the cliff. "Did you drop your trinket?" asked Shamrock. The bird nodded its head, as if it understood the question, so he decided to try and help.

Just then a group of other Huntsmen came along. They saw what had happened, and told Shamrock to get out of the way.

"We can deal with this, what hope do you have with only a fishing rod?" they mocked.

One Huntsman held a large sword, and he laid on the edge of the cliff and tried to reach the trinket, but he just knocked it further down.

The second had a spear, and she also tried to reach down and hook up the shiny object, but she couldn't manage to grab it.

The third Huntsman had a weapon which fired a gravity lasso, but he couldn't get it near the trinket, and gave up in disgust.

"Well, if we can't get it, then I'm sure you won't be able to, with your useless weapon. You might as well give up." And they walked away, laughing as they went.

The bird looked very sad, so Shamrock decided to try himself, despite the sneering of the other huntsmen. He took his fishing rod and leant over the edge of the cliff. Very carefully he managed to hook up the object and bring it to safety. It was a silver brooch, with a twisted red and green design on it.

The bird seemed pleased; it hopped and jumped around, flapping its wings and squawking loudly. Shamrock was surprised to see that the broken wing seemed to be mended now.

He put the brooch on the ground. The bird pecked at it gently, then looked up at Shamrock and spoke.

"Thank you for rescuing my brooch. As a reward, I will tell you a secret. When you see a rainbow, follow it to its end, and you will find your heart's desire."

And with that, the bird took the brooch in its beak, and flew away.

Now, the land where Shamrock lived was very dry, and there wasn't much rain. He had only ever seen pictures of rainbows in books, never in real life.

Many years passed, and Shamrock had forgotten all about the bird and its secret message. Then one day, when he had travelled far from his home, he woke one morning to find it was raining. The rain was beating on the roof, and he could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. Shamrock ran outside, standing in the rain and looking everywhere for a rainbow. In the distance he saw the clouds were parting. Slowly the sky began to clear, and the sun shone through.

As he set off to walk in that direction, he saw the colours of the rainbow start to form into a beautiful arch above him. He started to run, to find the end of the rainbow before it vanished.

It is said that you can never find the end of a rainbow, because every time you try, it will move further away from you. But Shamrock was lucky. He found the end of the rainbow in the middle of a field, the seven colours spread out across the grass in a beautiful pattern.

As he approached, he looked around. What was his heart's desire? Would it be a huge pot of gold? Would it be a spectacular weapon to replace his fishing rod? Shamrock just couldn't imagine what it might be.

Then, as he got closer, he saw a large black bird standing at the foot of the rainbow, all seven colours shining off its feathers. In its beak was the brooch he had rescued from the cliff, all those years ago.

Shamrock stared in amazement as the rainbow swirled around him. There was a flash of bright, white light, then both the rainbow and the bird had gone. Instead there was a tall, handsome man with dark hair standing before him. He wore a flowing red cape, and on his chest was pinned a brooch with a twisted red and green design on it.

"Are you my heart's desire?" Shamrock said, and even as he spoke, he looked at the man and knew it was true.

"I believe I must be!" said the man, with a deep laugh. He stepped towards Shamrock and took his hand. "My name is Corvid. I have lived as a bird for forty years, and now you have released me. Thank you." And with that, Corvid kissed Shamrock on the cheek.

The rain had stopped, the rainbow had gone, and the sun was shining brightly. Shamrock took Corvid's hand and they went home, to live happily ever after.

  


THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.


End file.
